For some applications, high linearity of multibit-analog converters is essential. For example, sigma-delta modulator circuits, e.g. as used in communication applications for analog-to-digital conversion, benefit from a high linearity of a digital-to-analog converter used in the feedback loop of the sigma-delta modulator circuit.
To improve linearity of the digital-to-analog converters, it is known to use dynamic-element-matching techniques or to provide the digital-to-analog converters with a self-calibration function.
In some applications, a plurality of multibit digital-to-analog converters are provided in an integrated circuit. For example, in multifeedback sigma-delta modulators, a first digital-to-analog converter and a second digital-to-analog converter are used to supply analog feedback signals to different feedback nodes. In this case, the use of dynamic element matching techniques may lead to an increased excess loop delay of the sigma-delta modulator circuit. Further, the use of self-calibrated digital-to-analog converters results in increased chip area requirements and power consumption.